Texans hand Bengals, the Cardinals’ next opponents, first loss

T.J. Yates took over after Brian Hoyer sustained a concussion on Monday night and rallied the Houston Texans to a 10-6 victory over Cincinnati, the Bengals’ first loss.

The Bengals (8-1) were trying to give the NFL its first trio of 9-0 teams, joining New England and Carolina. A backup quarterback with a history of beating them did it again.

It was appropriate that the first loss came against the Texans (4-5), who made Andy Dalton look very bad during first-round playoff victories over the Bengals during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Yates was behind that first one.

Yates, who returned to the Texans on Oct. 28, took over in the third quarter and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins.

Dalton had another tough time against a Texans defense. Cincinnati’s final chance slipped away when A.J. Green fumbled after a catch with 40 seconds left.

Next up, the Bengals visit University of Phoenix Stadium to face the Cardinals during prime time Sunday.